Getting Ugly In Phl

[Travelpro72]

I just think that it doesn't make sense to have PHL as the major airport to handle the majority of your northeast operation. It's a horrible airport in many, many ways. It's in a bad area geographically and although a money maker costs the airline alot as well in the form of delays and fuel. Delta just added a bit more int'l svc to CVG as well. Sure there are more people to fill int'l flights but the ones that PIT had WERE full. The flights that got axed from PIT were not even added to PHL. Where did those passengers go? They had already started to cut PIT and the flights were full for the most part. I simply think that the PIT airport could be playing a much bigger role than it does now due to the lack of vision with the last management team.

 

[US1YFARE]

flights that got axed from PIT were not even added to PHL. Where did those passengers go? .

[post="311292"][/post]​

They are on the Venice and Barcelona flights which I suppose generate more revenue than the LGW and FRA flights out of PIT.

 

[Travelpro72]

All the passengers that flew LGW and FRA that worked for companies around the PIT area in VA, OH, NY and WV Im sure in all fairness don't want to go to BCN or VNE. The flights were full that they pulled. They should have added more LGW and FRA out of PHL. They have potentially sent all those customers to another carrier such as NW out of DTW or DL at CVG. Not everyone wanted to go to PHL and certainly on a dash 8 which they reduced svc to in the beginning of the drastic cuts in PIT which were almost intentional.

 

[US1YFARE]

i meant they filled the planes with people to 2 cities that probably generate more revenue for them because of lack of competition.

 

[PITbull]

Fortunately for US Airways, you are NOT their financial advisor. PIT is not major Hub material - it's just a middle level city with a lot of very nice people and a big white elephant airport. No one is to blame for Pittsburgh's problems except Pittsburgh. They were the one's naive enough to build a new airport on the basis of a single airline's future success AND they are the one's who refused to reduce landing fees, even when the original USAIR threatened to reduce services. One thing you also seem to forget is that USAIR starting jumping ship at PIT well before any publicly known merger talks even began with HP.

Neither CLT nor PIT could support the O&D required for Philadelphia's International services - which will expand and continue to provide the airline with it's greatest source of income. You need to jump off of your emotional bandwagon and face reality - Pittsburgh is done and its very likely that Parker will expand both domestic and international services at PHL (US Airways largest Revenue Base) and PHX before anywhere else, including CLT. Instead of complaining about PHL, why don't you once offer some advice (if you have the experience) as to how to fix some of the problems IN A REALISTIC AND LOGICAL MANNER.

[post="311275"][/post]​

You can not operate a Hub and Spoke efficiently with the presence and magnitude of flights US Airways has in PHL. PHL runways are not capable of handling all the traffic. 70% of the countries population lives EAST of the Mississppi. US Airways did much better operationally when they were operting two HUBs out of the East, taking traffic from the largest populated cities on the East Coast and connecting that trafffic through both PHL and PIT.

Someone should conduct a study on this very issue above. No matter how much Parker or any ex CEO professed PHL's importance to the operation, we failed time and time again to make money out of this so called "money making city". :down:

The major evidence blatantly showed how PHL unsuccessfully mishandled the traffic, bags etc during the xmas holiday when PIT was downsized last October to a "focus City, no longer helping PHL connect traffic on the East to the Mid-West to the West. Of course that is the busiest, most conjested time of year for travel, but again PHL obviously couldn't handle this,specifically with weather i n the equation. And it hasn't really improved. It effects US Airways much more than other carriers because of the huge presence we have there.

A major part of being successful in this business is doing the opposite of what your competitors are doing or thinking and invent yourself. Problem with Parker is the same problem with Lakefield, Siegel, Wolf, Gangwal, Scofield....NO VISION for CHANGE. Just "same old/same old", chasing the competition.

So, defender, the above is one logical solution I offer.

 

[NeedForSpeed]

Fortunately for US Airways, you are NOT their financial advisor. PIT is not major Hub material - it's just a middle level city with a lot of very nice people and a big white elephant airport. No one is to blame for Pittsburgh's problems except Pittsburgh. They were the one's naive enough to build a new airport on the basis of a single airline's future success AND they are the one's who refused to reduce landing fees, even when the original USAIR threatened to reduce services. One thing you also seem to forget is that USAIR starting jumping ship at PIT well before any publicly known merger talks even began with HP.

Neither CLT nor PIT could support the O&D required for Philadelphia's International services - which will expand and continue to provide the airline with it's greatest source of income. You need to jump off of your emotional bandwagon and face reality - Pittsburgh is done and its very likely that Parker will expand both domestic and international services at PHL (US Airways largest Revenue Base) and PHX before anywhere else, including CLT. Instead of complaining about PHL, why don't you once offer some advice (if you have the experience) as to how to fix some of the problems IN A REALISTIC AND LOGICAL MANNER.

[post="311275"][/post]​

No, I'm Not a financial advisor, as you are not yourself, i can see...I'm not on an emotional bandwagon, hero, I'm a FORMER U employee who is merely pointing out one of the biggest mistakes U made, IMO, about PHL....No room for expansion, whatsoever, WN closing in on them,and not to mention, HORRENDUS employee behavior, and morale.... whatever....If you want advice, I gave it, you just replied to it and gave your opinion.....My experience was being there for 17 years to watch them slowly squander oppertunities, and make mistakes year after year.....And, If you had read ANY of my previous posts throughout the last couple of years, you would know I have ALWAYS said that PIT was finished......What I was trying to convey, which you obviously did not comprehend, was that the company blew many oppertunities in so far as making the CORRECT decisions.....GOOD DAY!!!!!..........

 

[NeedForSpeed]

Instead of complaining about PHL, why don't you once offer some advice (if you have the experience) as to how to fix some of the problems IN A REALISTIC AND LOGICAL MANNER.

[post="311275"][/post]​

Just one more thing, Defender (of Philly), as to your question of experience, just what experience do you have insofar as advice on fixing the problems in PHL?....IN A REALISTIC AND LOGICAL MANNER, of course...Me thinks this may be a defender of a certain sort??? :down: :down:

 

[delldude]

pointing out one of the biggest mistakes U made, IMO, about PHL....No room for expansion, whatsoever, WN closing in on them,and not to mention

[post="311333"][/post]​

but one thing you have to consider is all coast airports have expanded to their limit due to urban sprawl......and the FAA had a grand plan of expanding airports within 45 minutes to an hour of these coastal "saturated " airports and spoke out to them.
but alas that went up in smoke along with some other ideas....

 

[Harry Callahan]

As far as senority....PHL is probably one of the most JUNIOR stations...with the exception of maybe, DCA....PIT and CLT are much more senior...

[post="311229"][/post]​

Fleet Service wise PHL is more junior. The lowest full time agent in CLT has a hire date some where in 1999.

 

[BoeingBoy]

NFS,

The problem with PHL, as realtors say, is location, location, location......

Located between the Delaware river on one side and I-95/wetlands on the other. Expansion of the airport infrastructure to support even a reasonably efficient hub operation will take years and billions of dollars (paid for primarily by the airlines, of course). One of the two envisioned plans will result in significant operational bottlenecks during much of the construction.

Located underneath NY Center airspace and adjacent to DC Center airspace. No matter what the improvements at the airport, ATC restrictions will still exist, particularily when either Center is in SWAP mode.

Located about midway between NYC and DC with convenient rail/highway connections to either city. This results in PHL having 10-12% less O&D traffic than any other comparibly sized city in the country. Even PIT has about 1300 O&D passengers/day going to/coming from NYC/DCA. PHL doesn't have enough to make the tables in the DOT's airfare report.

As if "location, location, location" isn't enough, I always find it interesting that the proponents of PHL always cite the revenue derived from that city. Much the same argument is used to support the argument for more and more RJ's - the additional revenue their feed provides. Could it be that concentration on revenue without regard to cost - the other half of the profit equation - has led to 2 bankruptcies being unsuccessful in survival as a stand-alone carrier and leaving a merger as the only means of survival?

Jim

 

[Travelpro72]

Exactly.... So here we are now with a "NEW" USAirways and a pretty new livery yet everything remains the same. I am one to give the new mgmt the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully THEY are smart enough to see that PHL cannot work as your ONLY primary hub in the northeast when you have that many people. It simply cannot handle the operation. If they want to keep Int'l there fine. There should be no problem filling THOSE flights since PHL is such a large O/D market right? So many in the past mentioned that there was no need to have two hubs so close together. If each were used for a specific purpose possibly it could work. If they dont funnel some of that traffic to PIT then they sure as hell better send some to another airport. But PIT doesn't have any O/D traffic. Southwest ALWAYS moves into a city and airport where they know they can't expand and make cash. HMMM.

 

[barbeetantrums]

Fleet Service wise PHL is more junior. The lowest full time agent in CLT has a hire date some where in 1999.

[post="311437"][/post]​

What is the lowest seniority for fs at PIT? Many retirements coming soon?

 

[muircross]

Regarding the discussion of PHL vs. Pit as a hub and the company choosing PHL, IMO, the company blew it when they left BWI. Man, that was a beautiful operation. They had room, a decent facility, a solid workforce, and a large metropolitan area to draw from, but Colodny just loved PIT.

 

[multitasker]

I also place a simular note like this on Christmas in PHL.

If those of you on this thread spent as much time emailing Doug as to what equipment,personal you need to effectivly complete your duties on the ramp as you have be spending whinning on this thread maybe you could get the equipment you need. It appears to me that your union leaders are more concerned on HP sups on the ramp than they are on your staffing and equipment needs in PHL. HOLD YOUR UNION LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE TO YOUR EQUIPMENT AND STAFFING NEEDS. THAT'S WHAT YOU PAY THEM TO DO...


So stop whinning and hike up the big girl panties and get the equipment you need. Because is Christmas 2004 happens in 2005 PHL could go MIA and I don't mean Miami.....

You need to take control and let corporat know what you need to do you job...

Good Luck and MAKE IT A GREAT DAY....

 

[PITbull]

multi,

Its not the union leadership that needs to dictate or educate the company or its CEO what tools are needed to do a job. If that were the case, you wouldn't any managers or directors or VPs now would you?

Case in point, why we don't make money.